A Trip to Williamsburg...

The art scene of Williamsburg flourishes amongst old factories

 I must first apologize to Williamsburg for not visiting sooner. Even though I use the bridge quite often, I never take the time to visit the area except for gas at the Meeker/Morgan exit. I finally visited when deciding to try one of the best reviewed Mexican restaurants in Brooklyn, Don Pancho’s. To be honest, when I was driving through the area I expected a hipster takeover but got a blend of new meets old.

The Bedford Avenue had an eclectic mix of shops from vegetarian Asian fusion at Wild Ginger to the Turkey’s Nest Tavern. The more you travel down side streets you will tap into the cultural makeup of Williamsburg made up of Jews, Puerto Ricans, Italians and Polish. Polish bakeries and Dominican restaurants are tucked between new luxury building developments like 34 Berry and 184 Kent.

After finally arriving to Don Pancho’s, I was greeted with smiling faces and an even better parking space right in front. The restaurant has large open doors with a rustic feel so that you have semi-outdoor seating. We choose the only 2 seat table that was in the path of the sun. The tables right at the window are for larger parties only.

Don Pancho's exterior and homemade guacamole & salsa with chips

 The entrée portions are great for the price at about $7-$8 each. I ordered the chimichanga served with rice, beans, guacamole and pico de gallo and my friend had the chicken mole burrito. We have an ongoing battle of who chooses the best restaurants and entrees. So far, their winning but I finally got some brownie points with my choice.

The food was authentic, well seasoned and served in great portions. Instead of the mushy taco bell like tacos and food most places serve, my chimichanga was nicely crisped on the outside. The mole was a solid choice as well with the right amount of that spicy kick. I cannot forget to give the tortilla chips and salsa a thumbs up as well. We actually considered saving the money and just settling on the chips, salsa and free water.